Progress in Year 3

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Currently, corrosion protection is mainly based on hazardous heavy metals like chromium. The intention of the IP MULTIPROTECT is the development of a nanostructured, heavy metal free and generally applicable surface technology for corrosion prevention. Beside its corrosion protection capabilities tailor-made third functions like low friction or low surface energy shall be added.

This concept of corrosion protection is based on three approaches: First, the formation of a thermodynamically stable interface between the protective coating and the metal; second, a controlled release of substances with self-healing capabilities from the coating to repair potential damages and third, the preparation of coatings with high barrier properties for stand alone applications without e.g. topcoat.

In parallel, Health and Safety issues of the newly developed surface technology are investigated and further a mathematical model for the understanding of underlying mechanisms and for validation and optimisation of the developed coating systems is under development.

During project year three the MULTIPROTECT consortium made a big step forward to the industrial applicability of the developed coating systems. Beside further optimisation of developed systems the technology phase was continued and three different protection materials (sol-gel base lacquers, protection systems based on conductive polymers and substitutions for hard chromium coatings) were transferred to the industrial partners for pre-industrial testing. The most promising sol-gel base lacquer systems are now available in amounts of 2 to 5 l and were successfully tested for usability in industrial environments. All systems show good results and no hindrance for an industrial usage. Reproducible syntheses of chromium(VI)-free hard coatings could be established and an up-scaling of the coating bath could be realised. The coatings show good distribution of the particles and high hardness.

The demonstration phase was also started during the last year. The industrial partners (from aircraft, automotive and construction industry) defined their demonstrators for the application of the developed coating materials and started with the first application test of the new systems. 
In parallel, the coating systems were checked for the release of hazardous materials to the environment. No release of toxic substances could be detected so far.

The mathematical computer model of corrosion processes and self healing could be further developed. A fitting to experimental data were done that allows the description of the movement of inhibitors integrated in the coating.

Two internal training workshops were organised for the participants of the consortium and successfully implemented in Saarbruecken and San Sebastian. The organisation of the first dissemination workshop in May 2008 in Rome was started in the last project year and will be continued in the new project year.